The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-05-26
HON. I. B. VANCE.
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS BY NORTH CAR
0IINAS GREAT STATESMAN.

ING CLASS:
In his essay upon gifts, Mr.. Emer-
son says they should always consist OF
something which is characteristic OF
the giver; something which partakes
of him and may fittingly remind you
OF him. Thus the poet should bring
you his song, the maiden her flowers,
the painter his sketch, the author his
book and the farmer something he
has grown. You sent for me to ad-
dress you to-day, and in the fitness OF
things the gift bear you is indeed
something that partakes of myself. |
am politician for more than forty
years my life has been chiefly devoted
to questions connected with the gov
ernment OF our country what more
natural then, than that my gift to you
to-day should partake largely of the
nature OF the speaker? l will not OF
course violate any OF the prophecies OF
such an occasion by giving you parti,
zan harrangue, but will confne my
observations to such topics as all pa
triotic men may either be agreed upon
or may differ about without partizan
heat. The fitness of such theme for
me on this happy occasion, seems en-
deared when / remember that my first
political speech was born on this very
spot, forty-three years ago, in the men,
orable campaign between Polk and
Clay. ! was fourteen years old. My
speech was very much admired, on the
principle of DR.. Johnston's reason why
people so much admired the dancing
dog, not because the dog danced well
but because he danced at all In mer-
camille phrase then, | can only thank
you for past favors, inform you that |
continue business at the old stand and
respectfully invite you to examine my
greatly enlarged and--as trust-im-
proved stock of ideas now on hand.
In giving his impressions of the
American people after his visit to this
country, Mr.. Hubert Spencer said he
found it impossible to speculate with
any degree of accuracy upon the pos
sible distances OF the United States
Their peculiar constitution, forms o
government and material and socia
environments afforded no parallel
with the past by which the philosophiC
historian could form his judgment O
their probable future. But consider
ing all the circumstances of their con
dition, he found reason to believe tha
this admixture of the greatest races o
the earth, located, with ample room
in the fairest and most fertile portion
of its surface, and progressing unde
the stimulus of free institution
would ultimately produce a type o
manhood superior to any which thi
world has yet seen.
These are interesting speculations
Their results are so profound and com
prehensive that when we study then
by the light Of history, which is tn
measure of human achievement, W
are impressed in the same m0nner a
when we gaze upon the starry heaven
and wander through the dewy, plane
gemed pastures of the sky wherei
that which we see and know is utter
ly lost in the suggestion of that ia
greater and more splendid which W
do not see and cannot know, unit
that day when, rs it is promised, W
shall know even us we are know
Consider our country physically. |
round numbers it has SO million {
square miles. All Europe has no NOR
These stretch ACROSS the greateat widt
OF the continent, from ocean to oceal
east and west, from lake to gul
north and south The heart OF ii
north temperate zone is embraced
these bourderies. The richest so
watered by the most regular rainfs
is drained by the largest rivers in Il
world. All this inyltes the intercour
of the nations by innumerable por
and harbors dividing into stations
10000 miles of sea and lake coast.
This vast arena of human exertiC
is occupied by population whi
traces its sources to every branch
the Aryan race, with no inconsidel
BILE infusion of the Semitic and 7
ranian. The main branch com
from the dominant breed of me
ern history-the Anglo-Saxon--a
with it is mingled and is daily m
Cling, the rich blood of the Celt, t
Gallo Celt, the Tueton, the Scla
and the Magyar. The combinati
of differing qualities and charact
istics, acting and reacting on ca
other as checks and balances of
physical constitution, will in the
course of nature and in conform
with physiological law, eliminate
strain of our race which shall be
,ouliarly American. This breed '
beyond a doubt dominate the eai
and like the beast in the vision of
nrnnhet will seek to pluck down